The Ultimate Reunion
by QuackNSnack
Summary: A new era of Super Smash Brothers is beginning, and it's up to Master Hand and Crazy Hand to bring back the forgotten veterans.
1. Chapter 1: The Retrieval

In a world far, far away, at the center of the multiverse, one lone presence stood at the center of it all, gazing at the endless cosmos that stretched out beyond. This being had sent a summons to his two subordinates, for a meeting of utmost importance. But so far, they had yet to arrive.

The being sighed as he glanced at a passing comet. He had granted his subordinates immense power, to move mountains, to give and take life, to shape and reshape the cosmos as they saw fit…! But for all their might, they were never the timeliest of beings… He smiled wryly at the thought.

The being contemplated the stretch of space before him. He remembered when he had first created this realm… it had been so long ago, with only twelve… and now, to see his handiwork come so far…

His reminiscing would have to wait, as a flash of light in the distance indicated that his subordinates had arrived at last. There was an intense whooshing sound, and his two subordinates, a pair of white gloves, came tearing through the void, flames coming from behind them as they slowed to a stop in front of him.

"You are late," intoned the presence.

The right hand moved forward to speak. "Yes, a thousand apologies, Master. You see, my _brother_ ," he began, jerking a thumb at the other hand, who waved cheerfully, "thought it would be a good idea to stop by Mona Pizza for a slice… the amount of destruction he caused…"

"Hey, now, it wasn't _that_ bad!" protested the left hand. "Tomorrow Hill was left mostly unscathed! I mean, you know, mostly…"

The mysterious figure silenced the two hands before the bickering could continue. "What's past is past. What matters now is that I have called you here for a specific purpose. I think, at this point, you know what that purpose is…"

Both hands straightened up, eager to fulfill their duties. "So… a new era of Smash Brothers shall begin then?" said the right hand.

"Yes," affirmed the figure. "Even if it does feel like the last era was just yesterday, I feel now is the perfect time to begin." The figure shifted around as well as it could, the old spark returning to his eyes. "We can begin by inviting the old veterans…"

"Ah, yes, very good!" declared the right hand, producing a fancy-looking quill and parchment from nowhere. "I know we'll invite Mario and Link and Pikachu and Samus, but what of the characters we introduced in the last tournament? Shall we send an invitation to the Villager? Or what about—"

The figure smirked. "Master Hand… This time, we shall invite everyone."

Both hands paused for a moment. "Everyone? Everyone from the previous tournament?" asked Crazy Hand.

"Yes," affirmed the figure.

"Even the latecomers?"

"Correct."

Master Hand thought on the figure's words before returning to his normal self. "No cuts, then? Excellent! Every fighter from the previous era shall be—"

"You misunderstand me, Master Hand," interrupted the figure with a sly smirk. "When I say everyone, I mean _everyone._ Everyone that has ever joined."

If Master Hand and Crazy Hand had eyes, they surely would have bugged out of their sockets. "E-e- _everyone?!_ " exclaimed the hands.

"Yes," confirmed the figure. "Even Pichu. I know you were thinking that. Don't worry, it's alright."

"B-b-b-but Master," stammered out Master Hand, " _everyone?!_ The Ice Climbers and Wolf are at least reasonable, but Pichu? _Young Link?!_ This is simply—"

"Impossible!" finished Crazy Hand. "I've done the math. This would lead up to 63 Smashers in total! Not to mention all the potential newcomers we would have to introduce!"

The figure thought on their protests. "I know that this endeavor may seem impossible, but I believe that we can bring everyone back together."

"Master, with all due respect, bringing back every single veteran is simply unfeasible!" said Master Hand. "I've seen what has happened in Snake's home dimension. Nothing good, I assure you. To have Snake alone return would take nothing short of a miracle!"

The figure smirked. "Well, I suppose it's time to start learning how to perform miracles, isn't it?" He reached out an arm to gesture at a point in the distance. In response, a burst of light appeared, sending smaller flares of light across the void, each one flying to specific locations in the cosmos. When the lights collided with other stars, they burst into new, shimmering portals of light, each one glowing with a different color.

The figure turned to gaze at the hands. "It is time. Go now and alert the veterans." With those words, the figure turned away and faded into nothingness, off to fulfill his duties. The hands were left alone.

Master Hand sighed and turned to Crazy Hand. "Well, that's Master for you. He always was the ambitious type." He gazed out towards the light that the figure had created, shining and shimmering in the darkness. "Come, brother. We've got our work cut out for us."

"Hooray!" exclaimed Crazy Hand as he did loop-de-loops. "We get to see _aaalll_ our friends again!"

Master Hand couldn't help but grin (as much as a giant hand could grin) at his brother's exuberance. "Yes, yes, I'm excited too. Now then, off into the multiverse! We've got plenty of veterans to reinstate!" He pointed at the light that their master had sent first, glowing a myriad of colors. "First stop, the Infinite Glacier!"

And together, the two hands flew off into the light, rushing into the brave new worlds that awaited them.

* * *

In a world of ice and snow, two children were busying themselves the only way they knew how: climbing up mountains to collect vegetables. Their quest was not to be an easy one, however, for they were assailed by numerous fauna such as polar bears, small, squat-looking yetis and birds that swooped down from above to try and steal their treasure. Amidst the piercing cold and blowing snow, the duo had their hands full.

"Jeez," said Nana, dressed in pink, as she knocked a Topi away, "what's with the wildlife today?"

"I dunno," replied Popo, dressed in blue, swatting a Nitpicker out of the sky, "why don't you ask 'em?"

"Take this seriously!" shot back Nana. "This isn't normal!" She narrowly avoided an icicle dropping down from a cliff.

Popo struck a Topi in the beak "I am _too_ taking it serious— _the veggies!_ "

Indeed, the basket of vegetables was being leisurely browsed by a polar bear with pink shorts and sunglasses. It paused as it plucked an ear of corn out of the basket and threw it over its shoulder at Popo's feet.

Both climbers were incensed. "Hey, you! Don't do that!" The bear paid them no mind as it bit into a delicious-looking eggplant.

"Why, you…!" In a burst of anger, Popo threw his hammer at the bear's head. It failed to do much of anything except get the bear's attention. And from the look on its face, it didn't look very pleased to see the children. It stomped over to the climbers with a snarl.

The Ice Climbers were not perturbed in the slightest. "Come on, you… you… you hoodlum!" they said, hopping up and down making cute little "put up your dukes" gestures against the vicious ten-times-their-strength-and-size polar bear.

The inevitable mauling would have to wait, as a loud _crack_ sound from above threw all parties off their balance. A flash of bright light filled the sky. The riled-up Topis and Nitpickers fled the scene in a panic, and the polar bear, who knew a sinking ship when it saw one, followed suit, leaving the climbers alone, the basket of vegetables laying forgotten off to the side.

Whatever rage the Ice Climbers had quickly subsided and melted away into fear. From the light, they saw two figures descending on their little cliff.

" _Popo… Nana…_ "

The children clung to each other, shivering both out of fear and from the cold that suddenly seemed to pierce through their coats. "Ohmygodwe'regonnadieherewehavesomuchtolivefor…"

The figures paused. "Wh-what? Uh…"

"Not like this! _Not like this!_ "

"Hunh?"

"Well?"

"…Guys."

The Ice Climbers looked up. To their surprise, it was not the harbingers of death they thought they were, but a pair of white hands. From nowhere, Master Hand produced a pair of envelopes sealed with a mysterious logo.

"Welcome back."

* * *

Elsewhere, in a seedy neighborhood on the planet Corneria, a certain canine mercenary was stumbling home alone after a couple of drinks. With his one good eye and his claw blaster in its holster, he staggered home, muttering about nothing in particular. "Hrmmm… shoulda brought my good coat with me… Hey, who's there?! …Musta been nothing."

Wolf gazed up at the moon. As much as his fellow members of Team Star Wolf would make fun of him for it, he did occasionally dabble in astronomy. From this distance, he could vaguely make out the trademark pinkish loop of the Sector Alpha nebula. Wolf sighed. He'd never admit it to anyone, but he did find a genuine beauty in gazing at the cosmos. It might have been the space liquor setting in, but the sight enough to emotionally move him. He took another look at the moon and its intersecting lines, then turned to continue his journey back home…

…

…

…The moon's what now?

Wolf rubbed his eyes as he looked back up at the moon. Aside from its usual craters and ridges, it now had two dark lines intersecting it. Wolf had heard of moon in far-off galaxies being bizarre, but this was ridiculous! He stared and stared, but the part of his brain that hadn't been muddied by the space liquor he brushed it off as the booze messing with his perception. He was about to turn to go, when a sudden bright flash of light knocked him off his feet.

"Gwaugh! What the…?!"

Indeed, a mysterious form (or was it two?) was beginning to manifest from the light, bringing Wolf back to the world of sobriety. He gaped as the shapes twisted and contorted in the light, a deep voice booming in the darkness.

" _Wolf O'Donnell._ "

The canine in question simply stood there, gawking in awe and horror for a few moments before fumbling around for his blaster. "Alright, listen, I don't know who or what you are, or how you know my name, but you'd better clear outta here, before I—"

" _Peace, surly canine. I mean you no harm._ " The light subsided, revealing the forms to be a pair of large, disembodied white hands.

Wolf dropped his weapon in surprise. "Wh—you?!"

The right hand towered over Wolf. "Yes, it is I, Master Hand, creator and ruler of the World of Trophies, master of the Final Destination. I have come to—"

"Hi, Wolf!"

Master Hand quickly dropped his imposing presence. "Ah. I'm sure you remember my brother," he said, pointing at the intruding left hand.

Wolf, who had picked up his blaster as Master Hand was talking, straightened himself. "I... vaguely recall. …So whaddya want?"

Master Hand chuckled. "We are on the cusp of inciting a new era of the Super Smash Brothers tournament, and we—"

"No."

"Wha... what?"

"I'm not going."

Master Hand went limp. "Wh-wha… But why?"

"I'm just telling you. I'm not going."

Master Hand produced a white envelope from thin air. "B-b-but we already have your invitation! This is the chance of a lifetime! Many people across the multiverse have dreamed of even becoming an Assist Trophy, and you're just going to turn it down?!"

"Listen," said Wolf as he holstered his blaster. "It's not that I don't want to come. I just can't risk it."

"Risk what?" asked Crazy Hand.

"Alright, these Smash Bros. tournaments, they're pretty well-known, right?"

"Yes."

"People like to come and watch, right?"

"Well, we do allow spectators, although certain matches are televised—"

"That's the thing," interrupted Wolf. "I have a _bounty_ on my head. The last thing I need is for me, a wanted criminal, to appear on live television. Might as well paint a big target on my back."

"Ohohoho, you mustn't worry about the authorities," said Master Hand with a wave of his… body? "We'll deal with all of the legal matters when the time comes."

Wolf still wasn't convinced. "What's in it for me?"

"You get free protection from justice… _and_ the opportunity to defeat Fox McCloud."

That got Wolf's attention. His ears pricked up as he grinned wickedly. "…Where do I sign up?"

* * *

In order to maximize efficiency in recruiting the veterans, Master Hand and Crazy Hand had split up to travel to different universes, agreeing to regroup in Snake's home world. Master Hand travelled to Hyrule, while Crazy Hand had gone for the Johto region. Master Hand soared above the kingdom before coming across a large farm. Across the entrance was a large sign that read:

 **Lon Lon Ranch**

Master Hand squeezed through the entrance as best as he could, trying not to disturb the cows. He scanned the ranch until he came across a young girl with bright red hair carrying a Cucco in her arms. She didn't seem to notice him until she looked up at the large, disembodied white hand that hovered in front of her. She dropped the bird and stared, eyes wide and mouth agape.

Master Hand stared awkwardly. "Um… hello. May I speak to—"

"Eeek! Dad, come quick! There's a giant evil hand here! _Eeeeek!_ "

"N-now wait a minute!"

The girl turned and ran, shrieking the whole way to the chicken coop. The animals jumped and bolted in a panic. As Master Hand attempted in vain to calm the animals down, three figures appeared from the coop, weapons in hand.

"Wh-what in Farore's name is that?!"

The first figure was stout, but burly, with a bushy moustache and carrying a large pitchfork. The second was skinnier-looking but still fit, with a sickle in his hand. And the third figure was much younger, but dressed entirely in green, with endless courage behind his fierce blue eyes, wielding a sword and wooden shield. Upon seeing Master Hand, his eyes widened as slowly lowered his sword.

"Please," said Master Hand, as the boy in green kept his eyes fixed on him. "Let me explain…"

After that misunderstanding was cleared up, all parties involved were on pretty good terms with each other, and Young Link was given his invitation back to Smash Bros. Master Hand had opened up a dimensional rift to take him directly to the World of Trophies. The time had come to part ways, with Malon giving the boy a case of Lon Lon Milk for his travels.

"Bye-bye, fairy boy!" called Malon. "Stay safe out there!"

"Make sure you win a prize at that tournament!" said Talon. With a final nod, Young Link stepped through the rift as it closed behind him.

With that task behind him, Master Hand turned to the workers. "Well, this has been nice, but I must be going…" He flew off as the farmhands waved goodbye. "I just hope Crazy Hand hasn't caused too much trouble in Johto…"

* * *

Crazy Hand was the deity of destruction in the World of Trophies, but when visiting other worlds (which was a regular occurrence), he tried to keep a lid on things. Some days were good. Others… not so much.

Today was a "not so much" day.

He hadn't meant to put a gaping hole in the Violet City gym. He hadn't meant to cause a _small, contained_ fire in Ilex Forest, royally ticking off the Voice of the Forest in the process. And he certainly hadn't meant to fling the Pokémon Trainer into a tree upon arrival, knocking him unconscious in the process. He'd flung him through a dimensional rift to the World of Trophies to get rid of any evidence. That counted as an invitation, right?

And now, here was Crazy Hand, hovering ominously over a terrified Pichu, the smell of burnt shrubs lingering in the air.

 _Okay, I gotta be careful with this one. This Pokémon is really skittish when disturbed, so I've gotta put it at ease,_ he thought. He took a deep breath, and then spoke.

" _ **Congratulations!**_ "

Pichu's "flight" response kicked in as it bolted for the nearest clearing.

"Oh, no you don't!" cried Crazy Hand, snapping his fingers. With a loud _crack_ , a dimensional rift appeared in front of the fleeing Pichu. Pichu skidded to a stop, hoping that it would be able to stop soon enough. But Crazy Hand anticipated this move and scooped up the squealing rodent to forcefully fling it into the rift. He snapped his fingers again, and the rift disappeared with a _pop_. Crazy Hand was now alone in the forest.

"…That'll do it. Now, where's my next destination?" He pulled out a map of the multiverse to study, when a rustling sound from behind him caught the hand's attention. He whirled around to face it, crouching low to the ground (as much as a hand could crouch). From his hiding spot, he saw a young girl, with a white wide-brimmed hat. She seemed to be a trainer, but what really got Crazy Hand's attention were the three Pokémon she had with her: a Squirtle, an Ivysaur, and a Charizard!

Crazy Hand quietly spawned an envelope between his fingers. Perhaps he could make up for the fire after all…

* * *

In an undisclosed location, Master Hand waited in the middle of a snowstorm. He regretted not bringing his favorite coat, a winter glove the Smashers had given him during the era of Brawl. He idly drummed his fingers on the ground, an action he immediately regretted, recoiling at the cold. He was about to start up a fire to keep warm when Crazy Hand appeared from a gap in reality.

"Where have you been?" asked the right hand irritably.

"Oh, you know, just in Johto, re-recruiting Pichu," replied the left hand.

"You didn't set anything on fire, did you?"

"Haha, of course not? Why would I do something like that? And if I _did_ , it would be a small, contained fire, easily dealt with by your average firefighter."

"…Right. In any case, let's just start looking for Snake."

The two searched for the mercenary in the seemingly-endless snowstorm. It was no easy task, with the whipping winds and blinding snow blowing about. Once or twice, they'd find a shape in the distance that looked like Snake, but it would end up being a rock or a tree.

"Any luck finding him yet?" asked Master Hand.

"None yet," replied Crazy Hand, uprooting a tree that he thought was Snake. "I think he's dead."

"Nonsense!" retorted Master Hand. "He can't possibly be—" He stopped himself. He _had_ mentioned that nothing good had happened in this world… It wasn't a stretch to assume that Snake really was gone. Master Hand paused his searching. He himself had said that it would take a miracle to bring back Snake…

His master's words echoed in his head. _Well, I suppose it's time to start learning how to perform miracles, isn't it?_ If he were to fail his mission… to fail his master…

 _No,_ said a voice in Master Hand's mind. _I cannot fail Master under_ any _circumstances. Listen to me. I am Master Hand, creator and ruler of the World of Trophies, God of Creation, and master of the Final Destination! I_ cannot _fail! 'Learning how to perform miracles'? I've been performing miracles since I was first given form!_

Now reinvigorated by his little rousing speech, Master Hand continued to dig through the snow to search for Snake. He _would_ find Solid Snake, no matter the odds! Failure was not an option, and neither was—

"Yip."

…What?

"Yip yip woof!"

Both hands whirled around to face the source of the noise. Out in the distance, they could see what looked like several dogs pulling a sled. And on that sled was…

"S-Snake?!"

Indeed, the special agent was standing on the sled as it sped by, dressed in a thick tan parka and wearing goggles, but still recognizable by his trademark beard. He didn't seem to notice the two giant hands floating there in the snow and ice. In fact, he barely said a word as the sled blew right past them.

"W-wait!"

Master Hand and Crazy Hand sped after the sled, calling after the driver as they flew. "Snake! Wait for us!" they cried. Snake did not answer.

"Snake!" called Master Hand. Snake did not answer.

" _Snake!_ " shouted Crazy Hand. Snake did not answer.

"Sn— No! I refuse to deliver on this cliché!" said Master Hand.

"Fine," interrupted Crazy Hand, "I will! Snake! Snake! _Snaaaaake!_ "

At the third "Snake", the driver let out a "whoa!" and stopped the sled. He turned and stared at the two hands that floated before him. Master Hand snapped his fingers, and a large white envelope appeared in Snake's hands.

"Welcome back."

* * *

"We did it. It sure wasn't easy, but we did it."

The hands' master smiled at them as they returned to the center of the multiverse. "And was it so bad?"

"Well," began Crazy Hand, "I _miiight_ have broken some things while I was in Johto… N-not that I did! I just said I might have…"

"At any rate," said the figure, "with you two having recruited the absent veterans, and I having sent letters to the veterans of the previous era, the first phase has been completed. Now, we move on to the fun part: the newcomers." Both hands straightened up at this point, eager for whatever came next.

"As you know, I have selected some of the Inklings to participate in this tournament. With their skill and rise to fame, they have proven themselves worthy. I have two other newcomers that I want you to invite." The figure pulled two cards from his sleeve. With a flick of his wrist, the cards turned over, revealing the characters on the other side. The first was a princess wearing an orange dress, with a flower-shaped brooch and a wide, excitable grin. The second was…

"Oh, hell."

* * *

It was an unbearably hot day in the kingdom of Birabuto, one of four known countries of the kingdom of Sarasaland. But this was nothing new, considering the country was ninety percent desert. What made this particular day so hot was the fact that the current monarch of Sarasaland, Princess Daisy, was in Birabuto that day on a diplomatic conference, to discuss politics with the sovereigns of the Beanbean, Mushroom, and Metro Kingdoms. Birabuto had been selected to host this conference, but so far, neither Queen Bean, nor Princess Peach, nor Mayor Pauline had yet arrived, leaving Daisy alone, waiting.

And Daisy was bored. So very bored.

She glanced at her loyal pet Gao, a sphinx-like beast that lazed at her side. Even _it_ seemed to be tired, whether from the heat or otherwise. She glanced out the window as a large bee floated lazily past. She stared at the wall, in hope that maybe the others would come if she stared long enough. But of course, nothing happened.

"I'm missing out on tennis for this."

To put it simply, Princess Daisy was not too keen on politics. Rather than sit in a room surrounded by ambassadors droning on and on about tariffs and such, she'd much prefer racing a go-kart or playing soccer, the type of soccer that had electric fences surrounding the field, as was the norm. But nooooo, it just _had_ to be today she had to host this _boring_ conference, while her friends were out doing something fun. They were probably on some thrilling adventure, or at a cool party, or playing dodgeball, or basketball, or even golf…!

Or they were at Smash.

The Smash Bros. Tournament was a bit of a sore spot for Daisy. She _certainly_ wasn't jealous of Peach or Rosalina, or even Wario for getting invited. To put it simply, the reason was…

…

…

…

…Okay, maybe she was a _little_ jealous.

The closest she had gotten to meeting other people from different worlds was when she went to the Olympics with Sonic and his friends… and those board games with that blue slime thing. But other than that, she often ended up being left behind, while Mario, Luigi, Peach, and all of their friends got to go to that prestigious tournament… She was _not_ jealous. She wasn't!

…Toad got to go, and he wasn't even a fighter. But she wasn't jealous…

They brought in Bowser's brat pack, too. But she wasn't jealous.

They even invited that chump as an Assist Trophy, whatever an Assist Trophy was! She wasn't jealous!

" _It's not even supposed to Birabuto! The translators thought it was a dakuten!_ "

Daisy exhaled. She didn't know where she got the energy for that little outburst. She stared out the window and huffed. Out in the distance, she could see a shooting star streaking across the bright blue sky. _Please,_ she thought, _someone, anyone, just come…_

…

…Hang on. Why was there a shooting star in the middle of the day?

And why was it coming right at her?

"Uh-oh."

She dove out of the way, her Gao following suit just in time. A deafening explosion filled the air as the shooting star landed, sending pieces of the wall flying everywhere and even sending some of the fancy chandeliers crashing to the floor.

Daisy stared, waiting behind a fallen column. She gripped a baseball bat as the Gao by her side growled menacingly at the incoming threat. She squinted at the rubble. Was that even a star at all? The "star" groaned and struggled to get up. Okay, only certain stars did that. What was going on?

"Dang it, brother! We could have just used the door, but _nooo,_ you just _had_ to go for the dynamic entry!" said one voice. Daisy's grip on her bat tightened. The Gao snarled as smoke wafted from its nostrils.

"Ehh… it's fine, it'll be fine. We'll fix that later," said the other being. "Now then, where is this princess… Daisy, was it?"

Daisy's breath hitched in her throat. Without even thinking, she whispered to her Gao. "Sic 'em."

"Are you sure she's even—AAAUGH!"

Crazy Hand was rudely interrupted by the Gao biting on to his pinky. He screamed and thrashed about, destroying even more of the throne room in the process. "Getitoffmegetitoffme what even is this thing?!"

Master Hand rushed over to help his brother, finger guns at the ready. But before he could act, Daisy leapt on top of him, bat in hand, swatting the hand right between the knuckles. Master Hand screamed and tried to shake off his assailant, but Daisy responded by latching on and sinking her teeth into his index finger. "AARGH! That's my good finger!" cried Master Hand.

The four were embroiled in chaos for the next couple of moments, a cacophony of punching, kicking, breathing fire, swinging with a baseball bat, and the occasional stray finger laser. Much of the throne room was destroyed in the process, but nobody seemed to notice or care. Eventually, after several bruises to his knuckles, Master Hand had had enough. " _Silence!_ " he bellowed, firing a shot into the air, leaving a hole in the already-damaged ceiling. The fighting stopped almost instantly, with Crazy Hand, Daisy, and the Gao all looking up at the hand in surprise.

Master Hand pointed a finger at the sphinx. "What is that _thing_?"

"Oh, that's my pet Gao. His name is Mr. Snuggles," said Daisy. At the mention of his name, Mr. Snuggles bounded over to Daisy to be petted and stroked. "Who's a baby? Who's a baby? _You are!_ Yes, you are! Those giants tried to hurt me, but you wouldn't let them, would you? _Would you?_ " Mr. Snuggles happily rolled over on his back to receive belly rubs.

Master Hand and Crazy Hand stared blankly at the scene. She had been just trying to kill them a moment ago, and now here she was, cooing and fawning over a fire-breathing lion like it was one of those little dogs. "You, uh… you can't bring that thing with you."

Daisy stood up from her adoration of Mr. Snuggles. "Bring him with me? Where to?"

"Ah, yes, we haven't been properly introduced, have we? I am Master Hand, and over there," he said, gesturing at the left hand, "is my brother, Crazy Hand. Together, we are the hosts and masters of ceremonies for the Super Smash Brothers Tournament."

The princess' eyes widened. "The—the what now?"

"Yes," continued Master Hand, "the famous Super Smash Brothers, the greatest collection of warriors in the multiverse! Many people from across the many, many worlds we've seen have fervently vied to earn their spot among us, and we—" the hand produced a shining envelope sealed with the iconic logo— "have selected you to join our ranks." He gave the princess the envelope, gently pressing it in her hands.

If Daisy's heart wasn't going one million miles an hour before, it sure was now. A wide grin took over her face, the same smile that Master Hand had seen on the card his master had given him. She ripped open the envelope and avidly read the card inside.

 _Congratulations, Princess Daisy!_

 _We have selected you to join the Super Smash Brothers tournament! You have shown the skill, bravery, and immense strength needed to join our ranks. A plethora of new challenges and prizes await you!_

 _-The Hosts_

Attached to the invitation itself was an interdimensional map and a set of lapel pins shaped like the tournament's logo.

Daisy looked back up at the hands, her eyes shining. The hands had opened up another rift in the fabric of space. "Come with us," said Master Hand, "to face your destiny." Without another word, she stepped into the rift into the new world, the rift closing behind her and the hands.

…

"Yoo-hoo! We're here!"

Just as the rift had closed, Princess Peach, Mayor Pauline, and Queen Bean entered through the door.

"Daisy? Is everything all—all right…?!"

The sovereigns had gotten a good look at the throne room, or at least what was left of it. Cracks and horrid, strangely fist-shaped indents in the wall, a shattered chandelier, burn marks _everywhere_ , and at the center of it all was Mr. Snuggles the Gao, panting and staring at where the rift had been. Peach's jaw hung open in shock.

"Wh-what _happened_ here?!"

* * *

In a tunnel deep underground on a faraway, desolate planet, a Space Pirate stood alertly at his post. He had been given one mission, and one mission only: find and destroy the hunter Samus Aran. But the hunter had not shown up for a long time, at least on this part of Zebes. Nevertheless, the pirate stood at his post, in spite of the heat from the magma flow nearby. _Besides_ , he thought, smirking at his plasma rifle, _if anyone_ else _was to come along, they'd make excellent target practice…_

The pirate was about to get his wish, as a large _crack_ sound filled the air, nearly knocking him off his feet. He gripped his rifle and pointed. "Who's there?" he barked. "Show yourself!"

As if to answer, a sudden movement got his attention. It seemed as though _something_ was moving, but he didn't know what. It was as if the air itself was struggling to keep itself from bursting at the seams. What was it? Was it the Hunter, with some new cloaking technology? The pirate was about to fire when the space itself split open, long and thin at first, but slowly widening at the bottom to form a teardrop shape. The pirate peered inside, and what he saw made him drop his weapon in shock.

Infinite space, with seemingly endless stars and planets dotting the cosmos, stretched out before him, as far as the eye could see. The Space Pirate could only gawp at its vastness. All those planets… they looked hospitable. They could be ideal for a new Metroid breeding project! And just think of all the resources they had to steal! With these wicked thoughts in mind, the Zebesian turned to go and tell an executive pirate, when something hit him with a dull _thump_ , sending him crashing into a rocky wall.

The Space Pirate was a tad dizzy, but he'd seen and dealt with worse hits. He picked up his plasma rifle and aimed at the new presence. But again, the pirate had to stare in awe. For the new presence— _presences—_ were a pair of large, white hands. And they _spoke_!

"Are you sure this the right place, brother?"

"Yes, I'm positive. Lower Norfair, right? This must be the—oh, it woke up."

The Space Pirate suddenly noticed that the hands were facing him. He aimed his weapon. "Who are you?" rasped the pirate.

"That is… no concern of yours," said the right hand. "We are here to see Ridley."

The Space Pirate seemed surprised, but quickly regained his composure, still keeping his weapon aimed at the hands. "What business could you have with Commander Ridley?"

"Yes, we are in need of 'Commander' Ridley. His skills will prove quite useful to us…"

The Space Pirate still kept his plasma rifle trained on the hands. "Is that so? Well, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to see—"

With a single finger laser, the left hand, who had been quiet during the whole encounter, fired at the pirate, evaporating him completely.

Master Hand turned to Crazy Hand. "Was that _really_ necessary?"

"Yes."

"You… whatever. Let's just find Ridley."

Deeper into the volcanic caves of Norfair went the two hands. It was a tough time for them, not because of the hostile aliens and animated statues, but because of the extreme heat caused by the lava flows. At last, they came to a gate shaped like the dragon's head. With some difficulty, the hands squeezed through the gate and beheld what they saw.

Ridley was sitting on the floor of his lair, curled up and lithe, like he had been waiting for them the whole time. With his tail curled up around him, his wicked wings folded against him, and his piercing yellow eyes that seemed to look right through them, he was a truly fearsome beast to behold. He stared at the hands and growled.

Master Hand was unperturbed by Ridley's threat. "Geoform 187. We have come for you again." The dragon cocked an eyebrow (somehow). Was this to be another role as a boss?

"But this time… you are to be our star reveal."

Ridley's eyes widened in shock and surprise. Was today the day? The day he would finally join? He stared at the envelope that appeared in his claws. His mind began to race with thoughts of death and destruction. Now, he could fight without restraint! No more following those pesky rules. He gave a snort as he remembered the last tournament, where he was forced to fight _alongside_ them if they hit him hard enough. More often than not, he would find himself allied with the hunter… the thought alone was enough to make his blood boil. But now… Now…!

Now, no more rules! No more fetters to hold him back! He could tear and annihilate as he pleased! Oh, to rip to shreds! Oh, to tear apart! He smiled wickedly as he remembered the hunter. He made a mental note to go after her first. But not her specifically, no. He would make sure to kill any loved ones she had at the tournament first.

"On one condition."

… _Oh, of course_. "What?" barked the dragon.

Master Hand continued. "In the Smash Brothers Tournament, there are those that would champion destruction, such as yourself. But none of them, save for maybe one, would revel in it like you would. …Thus, I ask you to, ah… 'tone it down a notch.'"

 _Oh, of_ course _they would._ "So… no impaling?"

"Only on the battlefield."

"No evisceration?"

"You can't really… _do_ that. You know how enchantments are."

"No consuming their flesh to regrow my own?"

"No, you… wait, _what?!_ "

"That's what I did with the Hunter's parents."

"Oh, yeah. Still no."

"…I still get revenge on the Hunter?"

"Yes."

" _Yes!_ " With a mighty roar, Ridley burst through the walls of his lair and took off into space, leaving the hands behind.

Master Hand sighed. "Well, at least that's over with. We must report back to the master." And with that, the two hands flew back through the rift.

* * *

The mysterious figure of the abyss was waiting for them at the center of the multiverse. "You have done well, my disciples," he said with a smile.

Master Hand seemed exhausted, but gratified. "Well, it certainly wasn't an easy task, you know…"

"Now that everyone is truly here, the next phase can begin." With a flick of his wrist, the burst of light that he had created during their first meeting shone brighter and brighter, slowly growing in intensity, until a familiar-looking mansion sitting on a grassy plain was just barely visible.

Without needing a word of confirmation, both hands flew into the light with great vigor, leaving the figure alone in the void of space. He smiled to himself. To think, they had started with only twelve champions… and now, to see their numbers and bonds grow…! Now, they could shine ever brighter!

The figure smiled. _The World of Trophies is safe in their capable hands,_ he thought. With these thoughts in mind, the figure turned and began the long journey to his own realm, to continue his work.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes: Kept you waiting, huh?**_

 _ **Boy, that new Smash Bros sure looks great, huh? They finally added the one character everyone wants! That's right, Princess Daisy is finally joining the battle!**_

 _ **Anyways, this work will most likely be short and sweet, maybe 2 chapters, to act as a prologue to a different work. And then, off into a new era!**_


	2. Chapter 2: The Return

The Villager couldn't help but fidget eagerly in his seat, as he gazed out the window of the train. He'd been so excited when he'd gotten that invitation way back when, he'd rushed to the train station without even telling the townsfolk! And now, here he was, on his way to see all his new friends again. The thought of getting to catch up with people like Fox and R.O.B. again was enough to drive him over the edge.

" _Wahoo!_ "

Several other of the passengers paused their reading, coffee-drinking, or chatting to look up and stare at the boy. The Villager also paused as he realized he had gotten up on the table to cheer. His face turning slightly pink, he slowly slid back into his seat.

To keep his mind busy, the Villager decided to go through his things to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Let's see… he had his lucky boxing gloves, his tools, a set of fountain fireworks, a small collection of acorns, some turnips, a "cute-looking" stick he'd found on the ground, a helmet with balloons attached, a bowling ball (despite the fact that he had only gone bowling once in his life), his favorite umbrella (for rainy days), and of course, trusty old Lloid, the gyroid that helped him recover. Yep, everything was here and accounted for!

He went back to gazing out the window and watching the world go by. When he'd arrived at the train station that morning, it was not the usual diesel railcar that appeared, but a stately 2-4-0 locomotive that chugged into the station, billowing light grey smoke. The invitation _had_ mentioned an "interdimensional transportation system" that would take him to the World of Trophies. Perhaps it took the form of a train in this world? The train chugged into a tunnel as Villager thought about what would happen if it went to a different universe that didn't have such technology. Would it become a boat? A really big wagon?

A gruff voice came over the intercom, interrupting the Villager's thoughts. "Next stop: Saffron City."

A deep rumble filled the train as the passengers fastened their seatbelts. Villager looked around, and noticed a smartly-dressed blond boy with thick glasses putting on a…helmet? Was something about to happen?

Villager got his answer, as the train abruptly lurched to the left and nearly tossed the boy out of his seat. As he tried to regain his bearings, the train reeled to the right, pressing the Villager against the window. Outside, nothing but darkness raced past. His head was spinning, he could hear someone screaming—or was that just the screeching of the train's wheels? —and he thought he smelled smoke, someone needed to call the fire marshal, or evacuate the passengers, or do _something_ —

And then it was over, just as quickly and suddenly as it had started.

The Villager took a breath he didn't know he was holding. The train had stopped, as though it hadn't been hurtling through the void just a few minutes ago. Had he dreamt the whole ordeal? He peeked out at the rest of the train. Some of the passengers looked shaken, but otherwise unharmed, and the helmet boy was taking deep, steadying breaths.

So, it hadn't been a dream after all. Was this what happened traveling through different dimensions? _If that's what it's like_ , thought the Villager, _I'd rather walk._

The intercom buzzed to life again. "Saffron City, now boarding. Saffron City."

Villager glanced out the window. He'd only heard stories from the other Smashers like Lucario, but now he could see firsthand just how big the city truly was. It stretched far, far out into the horizon, and at the center of it all was a tall building adorned with a stylized S at the top. And to make the view even lovelier, the sun glinted off the building, bathing the whole city in a golden light.

Villager couldn't help but sigh dreamily at the sight. As he took in the city's beauty, he noticed that the train looked a little different. Instead of the classical 2-4-0 he had boarded earlier, the train was now a sleek, elegant maglev with dark turquoise accents. The train could transform! Perhaps this was the cause of the turbulence from earlier.

A buzz of conversation swept over the train car, snapping the Villager out of his marveling at technology. New passengers had just stepped onto the train, and from the sounds of things, they were garnering plenty of attention. He peered into the aisle to get a closer look. From his seat, he caught a glimpse of a familiar-looking set of pink ears and a lightning bolt-shaped tail. He could pick various snippets of talk from the passengers around him.

"Hm! Pikachu is still looking well after all these years."

"So is Jigglypuff, even if the patches haven't been kind to her."

"Don't be rude! They can still hear you!"

"Pikachu! Can I have your autograph?"

Pikachu padded down the train aisle, looking as though he'd rather avoid the eager passengers, with Jigglypuff close behind, carrying small suitcases. The mouse Pokémon almost didn't notice Villager as he passed by his seat, but the balloon Pokémon certainly did. She smiled warmly as she spotted him. "Oh, Villager! I didn't know you were here!"

Pikachu, who was about to say something at a passenger that would earn him a harsh scolding at best, turned around to see the boy. "Huh? Oh, yeah, you're that Villager kid, right? Mind if I sit here?" Without waiting for an answer, Pikachu plopped down into the seat across from Villager, sighing loudly as he did so. "So, how's your life been?"

"It's good to see you, too," said the Villager, replying to a question Pikachu only technically asked. "And you, too, Jigglypuff!"

"Same here, man," replied Jigglypuff as she floated down into her seat next to Pikachu. The train's engine came to life as they started moving again. Over the intercom, the gruff voice announced, "Next stop: World of Trophies. World of Trophies, next stop."

Villager couldn't help but bounce in his seat at the mention of their destination. "Well, someone's excited," noted Pikachu as he watched the boy.

"Yeah, I'm a little excited," replied Villager as he rubbed the side of his head. "I mean, this is a huge opportunity for me! I've been trying to get in since the Brawl Tournament! And now, I'm here, with you, and Mario and…" He paused. "Wait. Wasn't there a big dragon with you?"

"Oh, Charizard?" asked Jigglypuff. "I think he might just be flying there."

"Oh, I see," replied Villager. "…I probably should've flown, too. I-I mean, walked! I should've walked."

Pikachu snorted. "You really wanna walk? All the way to the World of Trophies?! Good luck with that, kid. Lucario did that last tournament, and it took him two weeks after he got the invite to get there!"

Villager shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Yeah, but…" His voice lowered to a hushed whisper. "Just a couple minutes ago, the train sorta… um…"

"Went through some turbulence?" supplied Jigglypuff.

"Wha—?" The Villager was surprised. "H-how did you—"

"Oh, the interdimensional transportation systems do that all the time," replied the balloon Pokémon with a wave of her stubby arm. "When traveling between dimensions, sometimes they'll go through the void between worlds which results in a little turbulence. Standard stuff. You get used to it eventually," she said, as though dimension-hopping and the instability it entailed was simply an everyday part of life. And considering their roles as Smashers, it was.

"But not everyone uses it," added Pikachu, who was reclining with his stubby feet on the table. "Like, the Star Fox crew uses their Arwings, Samus, Olimar and Bowser use their ships, et cetera, et cetera. And if they can't fly or run really fast or travel through space or whatever, Master Hand usually sends this thing. Some worlds it's a train, others it's a bus, or a boat, and sometimes it's just warp magic. That's just how it works."

"I see now," said the Villager, nodding his head in understanding. "So, what do we call it?"

"Call what?" said Pikachu, head resting in his palm.

"The intradimensional… thingy. What's its name?"

"I… don't think it _has_ a name."

"I dunno, interdimensional… stuff is kind of a mouthful. Maybe something like the, uh… Smash… Highway…?"

"Yeah, that's what it's called," said Pikachu, who was clearly not listening to the Villager at all. "Smash Freeway."

Just as Villager was about to protest that he did not say that, the gruff voice over the intercom interrupted. "Now approaching World of Trophies. World of Trophies. Folks, as we start our final surge, please make sure your seatbelts are tightly fastened and any objects or luggage that may come loose are tightly secured. Thank you and have a nice day." The click of the intercom switching off sounded slightly more ominous than usual.

"Hey, guys? Are we about to go through more turbulence?" asked a suddenly very frightened Villager. He looked around at all the passengers, who were frantically fastening their seatbelts, clutching their luggage, or calming their children. "Gee, kid, whaddya think?" replied Pikachu, who had inched to the corner of the seat.

The moment the words left Pikachu's lips, the train lurched forward even harder than it had the first time, almost sending Villager into the table while pressing Pikachu and Jigglypuff into their seats. Outside, the same darkness flew by, as though the train and its passengers were trapped in an endless tunnel. Villager tried to speak, to say something, _anything_ , but no words came out. It was like the air was being sucked right out of his lungs.

The train lurched to the right, and while Villager was kept safe from harm with his seatbelt, Pikachu, with his thin, peanutlike body, easily slid out of his seatbelt and flew to the other side of the train car. On his way, he bumped into the blond boy with the glasses, who was clinging to the carpet as though his life depended on it. And based on the way the train was recklessly hurtling through space-time, Villager was inclined to believe it did. He felt something heavy slip out of his pocket. Based on the sound it made, it was his bowling ball rolling across the floor.

" _Aaaaugh!_ "

And based on the sound Pikachu had made, Villager had just picked up a spare.

Villager turned to look at Jigglypuff, who was surprisingly still in her seat, reading a book, completely ignoring her surroundings. "At this rate, we should be there in five to ten minutes," she said as she noticed the bewildered boy staring at her. "In the meantime, I hear the view is pretty nice."

Villager chanced a look out the window. To his surprise, it was not endless darkness that met him, but a huge swirling vortex that eventually gave way to a cloud-filled sky over a range of mountains. As they dipped through the clouds, the train slowly began to stabilize and right itself. Pikachu peeled himself off the back of a seat, walking over to Villager and Jigglypuff. "I believe _this,_ " he huffed, holding up a bowling ball to the boy, "is _yours._ "

As Villager collected his bowling ball, the intercom returned. "Welcome to the World of Trophies. The World of Trophies, home of the Super Smash Brothers Tournament. Current temperature is a seasonable 75 degrees. Folks, please remain seated with seat belts fastened until the train has come to a complete stop. Please check around your seat for any personal belongings, and thank you for riding with us today. World of Trophies, last stop, World of Trophies."

The passengers got off the train, with the Smashers bringing up the rear. The sun shone warmly on their faces, and the air was light and fresh. "Well, we'd better get a move on. The rest of this trip is on foot." Just as they were about to start the last leg of their journey, a voice cried out, "There they are! The Smashers!"

They whirled around to see the source of the noise, a dog wearing glasses, with a pack of reporters behind him. Before any of the Smashers could react, they were quickly surrounded by an array of journalists eager to get a piece of the Smashers. A woman with short brown hair holding a microphone, followed by a man with darker, unkempt hair covered with a baseball cap stepped forward.

"Ty, are you rolling? Okay, let's do this." She turned to the camera with a glittering smile. "Reporting to you live from the World of Trophies, I'm Gabby, representing TV Mauville. We're here interviewing some of the participants in the Smash Bros. Tournament, two of which are Pokémon that are rumored to be able to talk!" She lowered the microphone to Pikachu's face. "Well, little guy? How're you feeling?"

"Uhhh… Pika pika."

Gabby frowned, clearly disappointed. "Anyways… I'm also here with this little boy, a villager from the world of the Animal Forest! I don't know what an 'animal' is, but I'm going to assume it's your world's equivalent of a Pokémon. So, tell me, Villager, are you feeling confident in your ability to win?"

"Um…" Villager fumbled for words as he was put on the spot. "I guess I won a lot of matches last time… well, at least up until Cloud showed up…"

"Well, well!" said Gabby, wide smile on her face. "It seems we might be seeing a fierce rivalry between Villager and the legendary Cloud Strife!" Before Villager could protest, the other reporters swarmed the Smashers with questions.

"This is Ken from Diamond City News," said the glasses-wearing dog from earlier. "Is it true that Wario will be returning to the tournament?"

"I'm Mr. Zero from F-Zero TV. Pikachu, how do you feel about claims that the tournament is the reason for Captain Falcon's fourteen-year absence from the F-Zero Grand Prix?"

"Jigglypuff, is it true that there's an ongoing power struggle behind the scenes?"

"Villager, will you be picking up sponsors for the tournament?"

"Pikachu, can I pet your fur?"

"Look!" cried a voice. "It's Super Mario himself!"

At once, all the newshounds rushed away, hoping to catch a glimpse of the famous plumber, leaving the Smashers alone. Jigglypuff, the initial voice who claimed to have spotted Mario, stepped forward. "You can thank me later," she said. "Every year, we try to go unnoticed, and every year, they always find us."

"Sheesh," said Villager, "those guys didn't know when to quit, did they? Have you two dealt with that before?"

"Ever since the Brawl days," nodded Pikachu sagely. "It was only a couple people back then, but it really got going in the last tournament. You were a newbie back then, so you didn't have to deal with them. But now that you're a veteran like us, they'll be hounding you the minute you step foot in this world."

"That's… not very comforting."

"Yeah, well," began Jigglypuff, "you shouldn't worry about it too much. That's what they want. They pester you with questions and flood the media with bizarre rumors about how well you perform, so they can get in your head and psych you out like the parasites they are, so you really shouldn't give them the time of day."

The outburst stunned Villager, but Pikachu was not so easily flustered. "Don't take her too seriously," he whispered to Villager. "She's just bitter 'cause she's not at the top of the list like she was in the Melee days."

Jigglypuff whirled around to face the mouse. "I am _not_ bitter!" she said, her entire body puffing out angrily. "You're one to talk! You nearly got an ulcer last tournament until you got that job transfer."

"Oh, _puh-leeze_ ," shot back Pikachu. "You woulda done the same thing if you had to deal with _Kirby_ for eight straight hours. Every other minute, it's 'Pikachu, I'm hungry.' 'Pikachu, can I sing?' And don't even get me _started_ on—"

"Hey, step off, you," hissed Jigglypuff. "Kirby has done nothing wrong, ever."

" _Nothing wrong?!_ " exclaimed Pikachu, red cheeks glowing. "Need I remind you of—"

"Guys," Villager interrupted, "as much as I'd love to hear you talk about Kirby's moral compass, I'd also really like to get to the tournament headquarters. The trip here was exhausting, and I just wanna rest."

Both Pokémon glared at each other for a couple moments before finally backing down. "Whatever," said Jigglypuff at last. "At any rate, we should get a move on if we wanna get there before noon." And with that, Jigglypuff began to float away on the path to the headquarters.

Pikachu turned to Villager. "Alright, kid, we've got a long walk ahead of us. Carry me." He lifted up his arms, waiting for the boy to pick him up. Villager stifled a grin. "It's not _that_ far away."

"I have stubby feet!" retorted Pikachu. "They're like grains of rice! I'm not built for walking. I'm a _pocket_ monster. That's what the name stands for!"

"Then go on all fours, then," laughed the Villager, already starting to follow Jigglypuff.

"But you're from that animal village!" retorted Pikachu. "Where you're from, these 'animals' should walk on two legs!"

"But _you_ are not an animal," said the Villager, now picking up the mouse Pokémon. "Like you said, you're a _pocket monster._ "

" _Are you guys coming or not?!_ " shouted Jigglypuff, who was already a distance down the road. "We're coming!" said Villager and Pikachu, chasing after their friend down the old, beaten path to the headquarters of the tournament.

* * *

Far above the traveling Smashers, a red airship with a peculiar shape soared above the world. Its sail fluttered in the breeze as it circled the plains. Piloting the ship was a short, pudgy man with a bushy mustache, with a white hat-shaped ghost-like creature at his side. The hat's face was pressed against the window to take in the world around him.

"This is where they're gonna hold the Smash Bros. tournament? It looks so empty from all the way up here, though…"

Mario chuckled. "Cappy, that's-a what you said about New Donk before we landed. And speaking of-a landing…"

The Odyssey turned towards a large building, where it began to descend. It alighted on a plot of asphalt behind the building. Mario gazed out at the other vehicles present. There were a couple of fighter jets shaped like an "A", an orange spacecraft with a green visor, a two-seater rocket ship, and a glowing yellow star. Cappy rushed out the door and around to the front of the headquarters. "Wowow! Mario, you gotta see this!" Mario followed his friend to the front of the grounds, and what the plumber and Bonneter saw nearly took their breath away.

In previous tournaments, the manor had taken the form of a stately castle with flags flying in front, tall and proud as it stood over the land. This time, it was a large, picturesque mansion, with a fountain in front encircled by the flags. The coat of cream-colored paint reflected the light of the sun, giving the appearance that the entire building was glowing. At the center of it all was the logo of the tournament, a golden fixture on the front of the mansion. And considering that day was the day the Smashers were scheduled to return, a balloon arch was spread over the gate, with a banner that read " **Welcome Back, Smashers!** " on it.

Mario whistled appreciatively. "Mamma mia. They're-a really going all-out this time around!"

Cappy floated above Mario's head to transform into the familiar red cap. "I'm gonna give my all too! That Bowser won't know what hit him!"

"Bowser, eh? This a friend of yours, Mario?"

The plumber turned to see Pikachu, Jigglypuff, and the Villager, who were coming up the path. "Nice hat you got there." remarked Pikachu.

"Hey, hello! Hello, everyone!" Mario and Cappy ran over to the advancing Smashers. "It's-a so nice to see you all again!"

"Yeah, yeah, I missed you, too," replied Pikachu snappily, though his smile betrayed his true feelings. "So, are you gonna introduce us to this hat or not?"

"I'm Cappy!" exclaimed the hat, popping off Mario's head and transforming into his ghostly form. "I'm here to help Mario win big in the tournament! And I also provide emotional support," he said, proudly putting his hands on his brim. He spun around, and in a puff of smoke, he transformed back into Mario's cap, landing on the plumber's head. The other Smashers applauded his display.

As they talked and caught up with each other's adventures, a large truck pulled up to the front of the manor. From the cargo came an outpouring of burly-looking men, each of them carrying a belt of Poké Balls on their hip, led by a nurse with pink hair. In the back, two men were carrying a cage containing a large, pink and black Pokémon. Upon seeing the Smashers, the Pokémon began to wave its arms.

"Awww, look! It's waving at us!" The Villager stepped forward to wave back, but one of the keepers stopped him. "Uh, you might wanna step back there, kid. This fella only _looks_ friendly. It's Bewear, one of the deadliest Pokémon in the Alola region."

"Bewear?" asked Mario. "I've-a never heard of it. Well, is it really that-a dangerous?" As if to respond, Bewear swung its arm to strike the inside of its cage with a loud _bang_ , which nearly caused the whole cage to buckle in on itself. All the Smashers and Cappy stepped back.

"Wow. Okay," said Pikachu, trying and failing to hide his fear. "I think now that we should go inside and as far away from that thing as possible. Yeah, let's go inside now. Now." Wasting very little time, the Smashers hurried inside the mansion as Bewear waved goodbye.

Once inside, and sure that Bewear was far behind them, the Smashers could get a good look at the foyer. It was just as lovely as the outside, with twin staircases leading to the higher floors, ceramic tile, fancy crowning molding, and an almost impossibly high ceiling. At the center was a short young woman in a green jacket and red-rimmed glasses, sitting at a desk.

"Hello, everyone!" said Nikki as she waved them over to her desk. "Master Hand put me in charge of registering veteran Smashers for the new tournament!" Nikki reached down under her desk and pulled out an odd-looking machine with a slot on the front to put on the desk. From her pocket, she pulled out a handful of little cards, each with a picture of one of the four Smashers present. She carefully inserted the Mario card into the slot. After a few moments, the machine beeped twice, and she removed the card and gave it to Mario. "There you go! All set!"

Mario stared at the card in his hand. It had his picture (though he didn't remember getting his picture taken before he got there), the logo and name of the tournament across the top, and the number 01 in the corner. "Say, what does that number one mean?" asked Cappy.

"That number signifies the order in which you first appeared in the tournament!" said Nikki as she registered Villager. "Since Mario is traditionally the first one to be shown off, he's number one, Pikachu is number eight, Jigglypuff twelve, and Villager is forty-five!" She handed Villager his card. "Okay, all of you are ready! Just head down that hallway into the East Wing and follow the signs from there. Alright, good luck and have fun!"

The four Smashers followed Nikki's directions and walked down the halls to follow the signs. The signs led them to a door that led to the lounge. Mario knocked on the door and pushed it open.

" _Mario!_ "

Kirby, the pink, puffy hero of Dream Land, had leapt at Mario to hug him. However, despite Kirby's small size, the running start had resulted in Mario getting knocked over. " _D'oof!_ "

"Mario, it's me, Kirby! Welco—oh. Sorry, Mario," said Kirby to the woozy plumber. "Some people say I'm really compact. Like, really dense."

"Yes," said Pikachu, walking into the lounge. "You are very dense indeed."

"Oh, Mario!" The lovely voice of Princess Peach, beloved ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, brought Mario back to his senses, and he was back on his feet immediately, his cheeks aglow and a heavenly sigh escaping his lips. And Luigi was also there.

As Mario and Peach talked and caught up with each other, Villager decided to mingle with the other Smashers. Samus was present in casual wear, holding a drink and seeming distant as usual. Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi were also there, as were Donkey Kong, Link, Yoshi, and Captain Olimar. "So, you finally decided to change out of that green, huh?" asked Yoshi.

"Well, it's not like I really had a choice," said Link, scratching the back of his head. "I still get to use the green clothes, though…"

"Well," offered Olimar, "sometimes it's nice to do something to break routine. Take my wife, for example. After I told her about the Brawl tournament, she started taking up kickboxing! She hasn't actually had to fight anyone yet, but it's done wonders for her coordination!"

"Say, wait a minute," interrupted Donkey Kong. "The second tournament had Link from the Hero of Time's Era, the two tournaments after that had Link from the Twilight Era, and you're from the… well, you're from _an_ era. So how is it that you're able to recognize us?"

"I think I might able to explain that," said a voice.

All Smashers involved in the conversation turned to the speaker, which happened to be Princess Zelda, wise and benevolent ruler of Hyrule. But her Hyrule, much like Link's, was a different Hyrule than the last. This time, the princess was blonde, like the Zelda from the second tournament, but with a white and pink dress with blue at the hem. What's more, this Zelda seemed much more relaxed and cheerful than the Twilight Zelda. "It's so nice to see you all again…!"

"Ah, Princess Zelda," said Olimar. "I can certainly say the same! You seem much happier now. Now then, you were saying about Link's memories…?"

"Oh, yes," began Zelda. "Master Hand explained this to me in the last tournament. Or rather, he explained it to a version of me… Anyways, as you've noticed, this world contains several enchantments that affect us and our abilities to fight, like how Kirby can only float for so long, or how you, Villager, are able to pocket things many times your size."

"Or how Jiggs' Rest hurts so much!" added Yoshi. Zelda nodded in confirmation. "And likewise, there are many enchantments based on certain participants' incarnations. In this case, the memories of a given Link and Zelda are stored in this world and return to us when we reenter this world. Do you understand now?" Yoshi and the other Smashers nodded slowly. Zelda smiled for what felt like the first time in a long time. "Alright then."

A knock at the door brought the room out of its lull. All the Smashers turned to the source of the noise. The door creaked open and from behind it came…

" _Ice Climbers!_ "

Kirby was the first one to reach them, pouncing on them in a loving tackle, with Jigglypuff and Yoshi following soon after, and Donkey Kong pulling all five of them into a two-armed hug. Even the gruffer Smashers like Falco and Samus cheered as they entered. "'Ey, Ice Climbers!" said Mario. "It's-a been too long!"

"Mario! Link! You look so different!" said the duo, smiles wide and eyes shining. They walked around, reintroducing themselves to old comrades, and introducing themselves to new friends, namely the Villager. Laughter was shared, happy tears were shed, and old memories were remembered.

"…Alright, no one else is asking it, so I will," said Fox after some deliberation. "Now that the Ice Climbers are here, how much you wanna bet they're gonna bring Wolf back, too?"

"Eh, I'd put down about 500 dollars," said Pikachu. "But forget about old veterans! Let's talk newcomers! Who's up for Decidueye?"

A buzz spread around the room, completely ignoring Pikachu's suggestion. Everyone began suggesting newcomers to join the tournament. Ideas such as Bandana Waddle Dee, Dixie Kong, Krystal, and even the Hocotate Freight president were thrown around. As the Smashers discussed their favorites, Kirby turned to Luigi. "Hey, Luigi. Who do you want to see in the new tournament?"

At this question, Luigi blinked and turned a bright red. "Well, you see, I, er… It's-a kind of embarrassing…"

"Aw, come on, Luigi, you can tell me!" said Kirby. "We're not gonna judge you!"

"Unless," added Falco, "you want another Fire Emblem character."

"No, no, no, it's not another Fire Emblem character," said Luigi, scratching the back of his head. "You see, it's-a someone very close to me from-a my world…" Mario, who was standing nearby, simply chuckled with a knowing smile.

"Come on, Weeg, you can tell us!" said Falco. At this point, most of the Smashers in the room were paying attention. Mario put a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "Hey, bro, it's okay if you don't-a want to tell them."

"It's okay, bro, I-I think I can tell them," replied Luigi. "You see, I… I've always wanted to, um… to see Daisy join the tournament…"

There was a long silence. Whispers darted through the crowd. "Who in the world is Daisy?"

"I think she's that orange princess."

"I thought she was that pirate from Wario Land…" said Pikachu.

Luigi sighed. "No, I mean… Look, remember Peach's orange palette swap?"

"… _Ohhh!_ " said Pikachu, clarity crossing his face. "Well, geez, Luigi, I thought you'd have better… taste."

"Hey, what's-a that supposed to mean?!" asked Luigi. "She could work!" Peach also stood up to defend Luigi's choice. "If they can make a unique moveset for characters that don't even fight, they can surely do something for Daisy!"

"Oh, please," said the mouse Pokémon dismissively. "I'd rather have Pichu back."

Before Luigi could think of a proper comeback, a deep, familiar voice rumbled through the room. "Attention all Smashers. Attention all Smashers and staff. Please report to the Grand Hall immediately for a special announcement."

"All right!" said Falco, bolting out the door. "It's time!" Many other Smashers followed suit, rushing out of the room and excitedly chatting amongst themselves. All that was left were a downcast Luigi and Samus.

Samus downed the rest of her drink and stood up. "Look on the bright side, Luigi. I dunno who this Daisy person is, but it could be worse," she said, producing her arm cannon from somewhere on her person. "You could be asking for Ridley. Then I'd have to kill you."

Luigi blanched. "I-I-I wouldn't _dream_ of—"

"It was a joke. Live a little, Weeg."

"I—er—okay." And with a final smirk, the bounty hunter left the room, with Luigi following close behind.

* * *

When Mario opened the grand doors to the Grand Hall, he didn't know what to expect. He knew that Master Hand had a flair for the grandiose, so he was fully prepared to see some form of splendid, stunning décor.

He, and the rest of the Smashers, was met with a large empty room.

"Uh… is this it?" asked Kirby.

"This _has_ to be it," said Fox. "This is where the Grand Hall was last time, and the time before that. But I don't remember it looking this _plain…_ "

Indeed, the Grand Hall was still very big, but it also looked very bare. The walls were a bland cream color, the floors unpolished wood, and there were a couple of wooden tables and lawn chairs scattered around.

"Umm…" Mario hesitantly stepped into the room. It didn't seem enchanted, like that time Crazy Hand had placed a portal in a broom closet and sent Wario to another dimension. "Well, at any rate, let's-a just take a set, eh?"

The Smashers murmured agreement and began to sit in the lawn chairs. As they sat and chatted about the upcoming tournament, the door swung open. Bursting into the room was a large turtle-like monster with spikes down his shell, followed by a smaller, similar-looking creature riding a helicopter-like vehicle with a clown face on the front.

"Bwahahaha! Lightning in a bottle! An earthquake in a can! Tremble in fear, worms! _The Great King Bowser has arrived!_ " The sound of thunder could be heard as Bowser finished his speech. He turned to stare down Mario, who seemed largely unimpressed by the Koopa King's display. Before he or his son could say anything more, they were both rudely shoved aside by a stout man with a bushy, jagged mustache, wearing a yellow hat and shirt, purple overalls, and a pair of pointed green shoes. "It's-a me, _Wario!_ Now that I'm-a here, this tournament's-a finally getting good!"

"Oh, hello, Wario," greeted Mario with all the enthusiasm of someone about to go in for a root canal. "No biker outfit this time?"

"Eh, it's in my luggage," replied Wario, scratching his rump. "Dumped it on some chump at the front desk." He leaned in closely to Mario's face, much to Mario's discomfort. "Get this. They actually brought back that chump that makes his pets fight for him! What a loser!"

"What?" A boy in a red hat walked into the room, followed by a blue turtle, a strange looking creature with a flower on its back, and an orange dragon-like beast. "Am I in the right place?"

"Red? Is that you?!" asked Nana. She and Popo bounded over to the red-hatted boy surrounded by his "pets", Squirtle, Ivysaur, and Charizard. "Omigosh, it's been so long! Are they just bringing back everyone now?"

"I guess so," replied Red, shaking Mario's hand and looking around the Hall. "I guess they got pretty good curtains this time."

Mario also turned to look. The curtains were a lovely shade of burgundy, descending like waterfalls from the windows. The plumber thought it strange that he hadn't noticed them earlier, but he paid them no mind. There were still other veterans to greet!

Besides his Pokémon, Red had been grouped with Bowser, Bowser Jr., Wario, Pit, Palutena, Ness, and Lucas. As the blond psychic filed in to reunite with the Ice Climbers, a hand tapped on Mario's shoulder. He turned around and was met with a girl wearing a white hat and wielding a Poké Ball in one hand. "Um, excuse me, am I in the right place?"

"Well, that-a depends," replied Mario. "Who are you?"

"My name is Leaf," said the girl, taking an envelope out of her bag. "A giant hand burst out of the forest and gave me this. I know that sounds crazy, but…"

Mario made a silent "oh" sound as he looked at the envelope. Master Hand had always had a flair for the dramatic, and it had clearly shown itself once again. "Ah, yes, yes, I see now. Have a seat over there," he said, gesturing to where Red was sitting and chatting with Lucas.

Mario turned to glance around at the Great Hall. All around him, Smashers were smiling and chatting excitedly about past matches or potential upcoming challengers. Even Bowser seemed to be having a good time as he conversed with Fox and Falco. From the looks of it, they seemed to be discussing the pros and cons of an airship over an Arwing. The image of Bowser crammed into the cockpit of an Arwing appeared in Mario's mind. He covered his mouth as he tried to stifle a laugh.

Luigi came up next to Mario. "Everything all right, bro?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, everything's-a fine." A thought came to Mario. "Hey, bro, have you noticed that—"

The Mario Bros.' conversation was interrupted by a pair of mittened hands clapping them both on the shoulder. As they peeled themselves off the floor, they were met with a large, penguin-like creature carrying a wooden mallet. He looked at the duo and laughed a hearty belly laugh.

"Well, if it ain't my two favorite plumbers! Haven't changed a bit, have ya?"

"Ah, King Dedede! Welcome!" greeted Luigi, getting to his feet and smiling warmly. "And hello to you too, Meta Knight!" he added, waving to the diminutive swordsorb who had appeared from behind the king.

"Yes, hello, Mario and Luigi. I, too, am glad to see you," said Meta Knight, his eyes shining with delight. "I wonder where Kirby—"

Meta Knight got his answer, as the puffball in question came flying at them from nowhere, clinging to King Dedede's face in a hug. "Dedede! Meta Knight! You're here!" said Kirby, squeezing Dedede's cheeks.

"Oh, great. Kirby's here, too," said Dedede, notably less enthusiastic than earlier. "But hey! I brought myself a whole gaggle of goofy-looking gladiators from that Fire Emblem place!"

Mario blinked, not at the abrupt alliteration that the aristocrat had articulated, but at the group of swordfighters that had appeared behind the king. Indeed, the fighters from the Fire Emblem universe were present, along with Sheik, Ganondorf, Rosalina, Dark Pit, and R.O.B. Ganondorf in particular looked different, looking younger and more confident, much like he did in the second tournament. "Yessir, the whole crew is here," continued Dedede. "We got Marth, the fire Marth, the big Marth, the magic Marths, Marth's twin sister, and… uh… Corn! Yes, the two Corns!"

None of the swordfighters that Dedede had listed off looked very pleased at the king's misnaming. "Corn" in particular stepped forward. "I told you on the way here, my name is Corrin! Two syllables!"

"Well, that's just what I said, Kale!" replied King Dedede cheerfully. Before "Kale" could protest further, the king changed the subject. "I gotta say, I love what they've done with the décor this time 'round! I'm really lovin' those chairs!"

"Oh, those old lawn cha—" Mario stopped. The lawn chairs were gone, and in their place were wooden chairs with cushioned seating. And none of the Smashers sitting in them seemed to have noticed! "Those chairs… are really nice, aren't they?"

"That's what I'm saying! C'mon, Kirby! There's probably gonna be a big ol' feast at the end of this here openin' ceremony!" And with that, the king and the puffball sauntered off in search of sweets.

Ike irritably stepped forward. "What is _with_ that guy? None of us even look anything alike! Who does he think he is?!"

As the other Fire Emblem fighters grumbled agreement, the Mario Brothers were staring intently at the wooden chairs that they could've sworn were lawn chairs just five minutes ago. "Hey, bro, you saw that, right?" whispered Luigi.

Mario nodded. "Let's-a wait until someone else arrives and-a see what happens." So, the plumbers kept a close eye on their surroundings just in case.

On the other side of the Great Hall, Fox had ended his little debate with Bowser, asserting that Arwings were a much more versatile aircraft than a large, clunky airship. He and Falco had now moved on to chatting with Pikachu and Lucas.

"Listen, I'm just saying," said Pikachu, "I'd really prefer if there weren't so many swordfighters around. Like do we _really_ need, uh… the dragon type one?"

"Um, Pikachu," said Lucas timidly, "I don't think Charizard uses a sword…"

"I don't think he's talking about Charizard." clarified Fox. "The one that can turn _into_ a dragon. What's their name again? Uh… Cabbage?"

"Nah, nah, I think it's Coffee," replied Falco.

"Really? I've just been mentally calling them Barefoot Marth," admitted Pikachu.

"Resorting to fighting food, eh, Star Fox?"

Both Fox and Falco whirled around to see Wolf standing there, smug grin plastered on his face. "It's been too long, pup."

Fox remained stoic, but his ears flattened against his head. "What are you doing here? Aren't you a wanted criminal?"

Wolf shrugged. "The hosts paid off my debts to society. I'm a free man as long as I'm on good behavior." His grin widened, showing off a set of razor-sharp teeth. "Of course, good behavior doesn't really mean much on the battlefield, now, does it?"

Falco's hand drifted towards his blaster. Before he could say or do anything, Lucas asked, "Um, Mr. O'Donnell? W-What's that?"

Wolf looked down. At his feet was a brown hunting dog with a duck on its back. "Eh. Picked 'em up on an ammo run. The dog had an invite, so…" He bent down to scratch the dog's chin as the duck flew up and rested on his head. "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? _You are!_ You… are…"

He looked up at the Smashers watching him. Lucas looked bewildered, Fox had an amused smirk on his face, while Falco and Pikachu looked like they were about to burst into laughter at any moment. Wolf stood up and brushed himself off. "Ahem! R-right. I'll be seeing you around, I guess. Come on, pup," he said, trying to cover up the blush on his face as he left. The dog followed Wolf, smugly grinning as it went.

"Bahahaha! Did… did you _see_ that?!" asked Falco, wiping away a tear. Pikachu was wheezing with laughter. "Ohohoho, the look on his face! That's gonna go down in history."

Pikachu took deep breaths to calm himself down. "Okay, okay. Now then, where was I? Oh, yeah! I sincerely hope they don't add any more of those swordfighters this tournament. If I have to see Bootleg Marth or Green Marth here, I'll just about die. I'll keel over and die!"

"Oh, come on, Pikachu. Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?" asked Fox.

"Oh, don't pretend you're not sick of those bland anime people, Fox! Everyone I've talked to agrees with me! Pachirisu, Dedenne, Plusle and Minun, Emolga! They've all said they're all the same!" He scowled. "I would sooner have Pichu come back. _Pichu!_ You can quote me on that, I don't care."

Fate was not kind to Pikachu that day, for the moment those words escaped his lips, a pair of diamond-shaped ears tipped with black appeared behind the mouse Pokémon. "Uh, Pikachu…" said Lucas. "You, um… have a friend."

"What?" The moment Pikachu turned around and saw the smaller Pokémon standing there, all color drained from his face. He stared blankly at Pichu, as though he didn't know what to do. This lasted for a couple of seconds until Pichu clung to Pikachu's neck in a hug. Pikachu did not return the gesture, his eyes glazed over in a blank stare, the kind of stare made by those who have accepted their horrible fate.

Jigglypuff floated over to Pikachu. " _Pichu?_ Is that you?! Oh, my Arceus, it's been so long!" She picked up the smaller mouse and cuddled it. "It's so good to see you again!"

"The term 'good' is a bit of an exaggeration," intoned a voice.

Jigglypuff glanced over at the source of the voice. Mewtwo stood there, tall and menacing, and looking down his nose at Pichu. Behind him were Diddy Kong, Mr. Game & Watch, Lucario, Greninja, and most of the third-party guests from the last tournament. "They allowed this…neophyte to return?"

"I dunno what a neophyte is, but coming from you, I'm ninety percent sure it's an insult," said Pikachu, snapping out of his stupor. "And for once, I'm inclined to agree with you."

"Hey, now, leave Pichu alone," chided Pac-Man, fatherly as always. "Little fella might be small, but he's still as capable as the rest of us!"

"Again, 'capable' is kind of a stretch," stated Pikachu. "Hurting yourself with your own attacks does not mean capable."

"Now, now," said Lucario. "Pichu might take recoil damage, but—" The aura Pokémon stopped and sniffed. "Something is amiss. This room has changed."

"That's-a just what I've been thinking!" exclaimed Mario, who appeared with Luigi seemingly out of nowhere. "Every time someone enters the Great Hall, something about the room changes! I'll-a show you. Who's not-a here yet?"

"Mmmm… I don't think Falcon's here yet."

"Okay! We'll-a wait for him to come. Pay-a close attention." The Smashers all waited, looking around the room and noticing how the room had indeed changed slightly since they walked in, especially those that had first walked in with Mario. The floor was now polished hardwood, the wallpaper decorated with the tournament logo, and there was now a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

Eventually, the large wooden doors opened, and through them came Captain Falcon, with his group. The moment he set foot inside the Great Hall, the changes were immediate and noticeable. The tables slid across the floor and gathered together in a blinding light. When the light faded, there were now several long, ornate-looking tables for the Smashers to sit.

"Well, that was a spectacle!" said Shulk, who had entered with Captain Falcon. "Ah, by the way, are there normally supposed to be _three_ Links?"

"Eh—three?" Indeed, Young Link was present behind Toon Link and Wii Fit Trainer. "Well…!" said Zelda. "Isn't this a wonderful surprise? It seems that they truly are bringing back everyone!"

"Uh, quick question," said Little Mac. "Who left this box lyin' around?"

All the Smashers gathered around to see what the boxer was looking at. It was a normal, average, unremarkable looking box, sitting there completely innocuously.

And that was exactly why the Smashers were suspicious. The Ice Climbers stepped forward and lifted up the box.

"…!"

"Well, thanks for ruining my surprise."

Solid Snake, the legendary stealth operative, dressed in his steely gray sneaking suit, groaned as he stood up from his sitting position. All the Smashers that were familiar with him stood there, slack-jawed and wide-eyed, while those that weren't simply wondered why there was a strange man in a bodysuit hiding in a box.

"S-Snake?!" asked Mario, smiling but completely bewildered. "Wh-How?"

"I'm not about to reveal my secrets, Mario. Let's just say the higher-ups were willing to play ball this time around." Snake gazed out at the crowd of Smashers. "Looks like I've got a lot of catching up to do."

Just then, the lights dimmed. A familiar voice cleared their throat. "Ahem. Testing, testing, one-two. Rubber baby buggy bumpers…? All right, we're online!"

At the far end of the Great Hall, a spotlight came on. And from the darkness came the hosts, Master Hand and Crazy Hand, wearing identical cuff links.

"Welcome, Smashers! Welcome to the Super Smash Brothers Tournament!"

* * *

 ** _Author's Notes: Gosh, introducing over 60 characters is exhausting! This one was kinda long, even for me!_**

 ** _Next time: The opening ceremony begins!_**


	3. Chapter 3: The Reveal

The Smashers quickly took their seats, cheering and excitedly chattering amongst themselves. As they sat next to their closest allies (and in some cases, away from their bitter rivals), Master Hand snapped his fingers, and a rousing triumphant orchestral piece began to play from nowhere. He took out an empty wine glass and tapped for attention. "Hello, everyone! Welcome to the fifth Super Smash Brothers tournament!" Whoops and cheers filled the Great Hall, causing the curtains to quiver.

Master Hand continued. "As you no doubt have noticed, every single fighter that has ever participated in a tournament is present in this room. That is what we believe the people want; thus, we have made the impossible… possible. This tournament will go down in Smash Brothers history." He snapped his fingers, and a stage materialized under him.

"And, now… presenting the new fighters that will join the battle!"

* * *

Behind the stage that had spawned out of nowhere, four figures were eagerly awaiting their names to be called in a green room. Two of them, a pair of squid children with tentacles that acted as hair, sat anxiously in their seats as they awaited their names. They certainly weren't worried because of their nerves.

In fact, they were worried because of the giant space dragon sitting not three feet away from them.

"I can't believe it," said Princess Daisy, sitting opposite the Inklings, and taking in her surroundings. "I've been trying for years to get in on this tournament, and now I'm finally _here!_ How are you guys not totally amped about this?"

One of the Inklings, a girl with orange tentacles, said nothing, but simply jabbed a thumb at the dragon, Ridley. Daisy sized up the dragon, who narrowed his eyes at her. After a while, Daisy scoffed. "Puh-leeze. He doesn't look that tough. Kinda scrawny-looking even. I've seen worse-looking seahorses!"

Ridley hissed softly, showing off a set of sharp upper teeth. But Daisy was undaunted. "Aww, how cute," she mocked. "The wittle dragon thinks he can beat me. I'm the champion of Sarasaland! I'll mess you up!"

Ridley snarled and rose to his full height, while Daisy removed her gloves to prepare to punch Ridley's lights out. Before either of them could act, a short man with a blue shirt and white overalls and a pump of insecticide at his hip stepped into the room. "Alright, Inklings, you're… h-hey! No fighting! No fighting!" He moved in to break it up, but a sharp glare from Ridley caused him to hesitate. "I-I'm just saying, if the hosts see you fighting now, they'll probably cut you now before you even get a chance." Ridley and Daisy simply glared daggers at each other before huffily sitting back down; neither of them was willing to risk their chance, not now. Stanley let out the breath he was holding. "Okay. Inklings, you're up."

Both squids were eager to get as far from Ridley as they could. As they hurried out of the green room and into the west wing, they could feel their nerves melting away. The orange girl turned to the blue boy. "Hey, you know… I don't think we've got anything to worry about. It's sorta like a turf war, yeah?"

Just before the stage, they were stopped by a woman in a green jacket. "Hello, and welcome!" she said. "You must be the Inklings, right?" She handed both of the kids identification cards. "Alright! Now get out there and show them your moves!"

The Inklings were now just offstage behind the curtain, where they could hear the last couple words of the host's speech. "And now," said the host, "presenting the new fighters that will join the battle!" The curtain flew up, and they walked out onto the stage itself.

So many people, if you could call some of them that, spread out before them in the Great Hall. Applause and wild cheering filled the air as they stepped onto the stage. As the Inklings gazed out into the crowd, adrenaline rushed through them. This really _was_ like a turf war back home! Without even thinking, they whipped out their Splattershot weapons and fired ink into the audience. The Smashers squealed and cheered with delight as the ink poured over them. Eventually, the Inklings sauntered off the stage to take their seats. Master Hand retook the stage.

"Haha, yes! These newcomers aren't squidding around!" The joke was met with dead silence, save for a few stifled giggles from Kirby and the Inklings. "…Anyway. Now to introduce our second newcomer to the tournament! This was a highly requested character, and we'd like to introduce as many of those as we can. Give it up for Princess Daisy!"

The princess in question stomped onto the stage with a wide, wide grin on her face. "That's right, chumps! You though I wouldn't make it, but here I am! The champion of Sarasaland is here at last!"

Of all the applause that followed, it was the Mushroom Kingdom fighters that applauded the hardest. Mario and Peach stood up to clap and cheer. Luigi, on the other hand, was too overcome with emotion to clap or do much of anything. Ultimately, it was Daisy herself, sitting next to Luigi, that finally allowed him to calm down.

Master Hand snapped his fingers for attention. "Yes, at long last, everyone is here. Please note that there might not be as many newcomers this tournament. However…" Master Hand seemed to relish in the anticipatory silence. "We do have one final surprise for you…!"

At once, the Great Hall's lights dimmed. Samus, sitting in between Pit and Little Mac, raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Master Hand continued. "This newcomer was probably one of the most requested we've seen in a decade. But after years of being rejected from our ranks, we finally managed to fit him in!"

A sudden, horrible thought occurred to Samus. Surely, they wouldn't have…?

"At long last…!" said Master Hand. The lights were practically off now. On the stage, a pair of glowing eyes could be seen.

Samus gripped her arm rest. _Impossible, this wasn't happening, there's no way they would…_

" _Ridley!_ " boomed Master Hand.

At the mention of his name, a spotlight came on, revealing the dragon himself. Ridley let out a deafening roar, causing everyone in the audience to cover their ears. He scanned over them with vicious eyes. He made eye contact with Samus, and a wicked grin spread across his face. "Surprise, everyone!" he declared, still glaring directly at Samus. "Who's too big now, eh?"

Bowser, and only Bowser, stood up and applauded for Ridley. "Aww, yeah!" he cheered. "Score one for us villains!"

As Ridley stomped into the audience, Master Hand snapped his fingers, causing the stage to disappear, and the lights to come back on. "Alright, that should do it! Go on, mingle amongst yourselves! Introduce yourself to the newcomers!"

Samus, on the other hand, was in no mood to socialize. Without a word, she slipped away from the crowd and out of the Great Hall.

She could use the fresh air anyways.

* * *

At the beginning of the Brawl tournament, everyone paid close attention to Solid Snake, the first outsider to the world of Nintendo. Now, a similar scene played out, with fighters unfamiliar with the mercenary staring at him as though he held unknown secrets. And speaking of secrets…

"But seriously, Snake," said Pit, "how _are_ you still alive? Last I heard, your world got sealed off or something…"

"I told you, angel-face," said Snake, gazing off into space. "I can't say too much. All I can tell you is that the guys upstairs gave the okay this time around." He reached in his pocket as he looked around. "Am I allowed to smoke here?"

"Don't even think about it," said Crazy Hand, menacingly holding up a bucket of water. "Oh! That reminds me!" He snapped his fingers, transforming the bucket into a little bell, which he proceeded to ring. At once, a fleet of serving carts swept into the Great Hall with no one pushing them, carrying a plethora of kebabs, cakes, bruschetta, sushi, and other such flavorful foodstuffs. "Refreshments are available!" announced the left hand.

At once, Kirby, King Dedede, Yoshi, and Pac-Man all rushed to the food carts to eat their fill. Sensing the danger, Crazy Hand snapped his fingers again, causing more enchanted food carts to file into the room. The four gourmands seemed overwhelmed by the sheer amount of food as the Wii Fit Trainer looked on disapprovingly.

As Mario snacked on a honey-glazed mushroom, he looked around the Great Hall. So many people were interacting with each other, it was hard to keep track! Red was introducing his Pokémon to Pichu, and Daisy seemed to be busy bragging about something to the other princesses. Even the villains seemed to be getting along! Bowser, Bowser Jr., Ganondorf, and Ridley were all huddled in the corner, whispering and chuckling evilly amongst themselves. Mario sighed lightly. _Those three are-a gonna be trouble_ , he thought to himself. _Especially since Ridley is here, Samus won't be—_

A thought came to Mario. Where _was_ Samus, anyways? He scanned the Great Hall for her, but there was no sign of her. He called Luigi over. "Say, bro, have you seen Samus lately?"

"Hmmm… actually, I haven't really seen her since the ceremony. I wonder where she went…"

"I dunno," replied Mario, "but I think I've got a pretty good idea as to why she left…"

* * *

The Mario Brothers had enlisted the help of Link, Kirby, and Fox to search for Samus. Together, the five of them slipped away from the festivities and split up to search for the bounty hunter. It was not an easy task, considering that they'd only just gotten there and had no time to get used to their surroundings. In fact, most of their time searching for Samus was spent trying to not get themselves lost. The five of them gathered in the foyer to report their findings, or lack thereof. "Any luck?" asked Mario.

Luigi shook his head. "Nope. I checked the second and third floors, but I couldn't find her."

"I checked outside," added Fox. "No luck."

"I looked in the training room," said Kirby, "but there was no sign of her…"

"Mamma mia," muttered Mario, scratching the back of his head. "A big place like this, how're we gonna find her…?"

The five Smashers walks through the halls of the manor, unsure of what to do next. It was only as they passed the music room that Cappy caught a glimpse of orange. "Hey, look!" he cried. "It's Samus!"

Indeed, the bounty hunter was sitting in the music room, in full armor, idly playing a tune on guitar. The scene would have been amusing if the circumstances weren't so worrying. Upon seeing the others, she simply put the guitar and sighed.

Link was the first to speak up. "Samus, what happened? You just up and left the ceremonies."

"Well, _sorry_ for not wanting to stay in the same room as _him_ ," spat Samus as she leaned against a wall.

Kirby opened his mouth as if to say something, but Mario stepped forward to interrupt. A situation like this needed a gentle touch. "Samus, I know you're upset about Ridley. But—"

Samus cut Mario off. "But nothing, Mario. I mean— _why?!_ Why would they invite my worst enemy to this thing?!"

Mario sighed. "Look, Samus, I know how you feel—"

" _No,_ Mario, you do _not_ know how I feel!" shouted Samus, taking everyone by surprise. "Bowser never razed your home to the ground! Bowser never killed your parents! You invite him go-karting, for crying out loud!"

"Alrighty. I'll-a concede that," began Mario slowly. "But that-a doesn't make Bowser's actions any better. The time he trapped Peach in her own castle. The time he nearly destroyed the universe to create a galactic empire. And don't-a get me started on the amount of times he's kidnapped-a poor Peachie!"

"Not to mention the damage he did to all the other kingdoms we visited!" added Cappy. Samus said nothing, but simply pouted from under her helmet.

"Look, Samus," continued Mario. "I know it feels bad to have your worst enemy here. But think about it this way! Both-a heroes and-a villains are here, and they get along as best-a they can!" He paused as Samus glared at him but was otherwise undaunted. "I'm-a not saying you have to be all buddy-buddy with-a Ridley. But at the very least, try to be civil, okay?"

Samus pouted as she thought on Mario's words. "Fine. But on one condition…"

* * *

The six of them walked back to the Great Hall, where the festivities were still in full swing. Little Mac rushed over greet them. "Aw, man, you just missed it! Wario tried to swing from the curtain like Tarzan and he just smashed into the wall!" There was a Wario-shaped hole in the wall on the far end of the hall.

Ignoring this bizarre sight, the Smashers walked over to the corner where the villains still stood, cracking jokes and having a merry old time. Upon making eye contact with Samus, Ridley hissed, his eyes glowing.

Mario stepped forward with Samus, the latter keeping her arm cannon trained on the dragon. "Ridley." The plumber's tone was clipped and wary. Link, Kirby and Fox hung back, ready to intervene in case something went wrong.

At last, Ridley spoke. "Lemme guess," he growled. "You're here to read me the riot act, huh?"

"Ridley, I'm-a just saying—"

"Yeah, yeah, the host told me everything. No evisceration, no slaughtering, and blah, blah, blah." He made a hand-mouth gesture with his claw. "I've gotta 'tone it down a notch'. Sheesh! …At any rate, I'm here, and I can finally get my revenge on the Hunter," he said, grinning wickedly at Samus.

Samus was about to fire when Mario stepped in between them. "Alright, alright, I get it. You two have-a plenty of bad blood between you. But look! Bowser and I get along great! Even Link and-a Ganondorf have gotten along well, and they've been enemies for-a generations!" Ganondorf gave a non-committal shrug in response.

"So, Samus, Ridley… I'm-a not asking you to be friends. I'm just asking you to be civil towards each other. And hey! In matches, you can let loose with everything you have! So, what do you say? Promise to keep it clean off the battlefield?"

There was a long, tense silence. Neither Samus nor Ridley seemed willing to make the first move.

"Come on," goaded Mario.

Still nothing. Samus simply narrowed her eyes while Ridley had his arms folded like a petulant child.

"Come on," repeated Mario in a gentler tone. "Do it for good ol' Mario."

Even Bowser tried to nudge Ridley into complying. "Come on, man. If nothing else, Master Hand will have your head if you don't."

At last Samus sighed. " _Fine,_ " she hissed. "But mark my words, I'll be keeping a close eye on you."

Ridley leaned back in his chair. "I'll accept your terms," he said slowly. "But mark _my_ words, once we're on the battlefield, I'll rip you all to pieces!"

"That's-a the spirit!" chirped Mario, ignoring Ridley's threat. Link, who had kept a tight grip on his sword through the whole ordeal, slowly resheathed his sword.

"Hooray!" cheered Kirby, happily bouncing in place. "Now we can all be friends!"

"I never said that," snapped Samus, causing the puffball to clam up immediately. "I'm just saying that I won't shoot him on sight."

"And I'm just promising to keep things low-key," added Ridley. "Besides, _I_ already have friends," he said, gesturing to Bowser, Ganondorf, and Bowser Jr.

"At any rate!" said Mario, smiling widely but eager to change the subject. "Let's-a see if they have any bruschetta left, yeah?"

The heroes and villains present mumbled agreement, and so they got up to get their refreshments, Mario and Kirby leading the way. "I just hope Yoshi hasn't gotten to them already…" remarked Fox.

* * *

Off to the side, Master Hand beamed as much as a hand could beam. Leave it to Mario to defuse a tense situation! That was one of the many reasons he enjoyed cherishing this world. To see the kindest of heroes get along with the most vicious of villains warmed the hand's heart. He turned to return to his office. There was still work to be done.

* * *

 _ **Author's Notes: And we're done! ...For this story, at least.**_

 _ **What timing on that direct, huh! And with such interesting newcomers, they've gotta get their own story!**_


End file.
